


Eternal Embrace II

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Drama, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-22
Updated: 2006-03-22
Packaged: 2019-02-02 02:05:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12717489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Jack goes to meet Daniel at the Airport.





	Eternal Embrace II

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

Jack O'Neill stood motionless under the spearing jets of the shower. He reached down and shut off the hot water flow allowing the stream to slowly cool. He gasped with the intensity of the eventual chill blast hitting him in the face and flowing down over his body. He needed to bring himself to full wakefulness. 

Half an hour ago Jack had been deep in sleep moving through a disturbing dream. In the dream he was standing before the doorway of a small dwelling. Someone he loved was inside and Jack, naked and without weapons was guarding the door to prevent something monstrous from entering. As he heard with dread the approaching footfalls of the unseen terror he was awoken by the buzzing of his phone. 

He shut off the water and reached for a towel. 

It had been Daniel on the phone. Jack was crabby at being woken at five in the morning however his annoyance evaporated into a controlled panic when Daniel told Jack that he loved him. 

Establishing that Daniel was at the airport he told him to stay put, hung up and stumbled to the bathroom. 

After running his fingers through his still wet hair he pulled on his clothes picked up his keys and headed to the garage. 

Jack O'Neill charging to the rescue again he thought. Rescue from what? Doctor Daniel Jackson had obviously spent too long in the desert sun and seared a few brain cells. Or perhaps he'd been brainwashed by some cult and now loved Jesus, Jack O'Neill and everybody else. 

No, he thought. Daniel had said that he was "in" love with Jack. Daniel was a linguist and didn't use imprecise language. Jack knew what Daniel had meant and felt a tight clenching in his gut as he considered it. 

The curves of the road leading down into Denver brought Jack regular glimpses of the gold and salmon flecked sunrise erupting in the East. He needed time to think before he saw Daniel. He had learnt over a long military career that you always develop your strategy before engagement. 

Jack pulled the car into a rest area and switched off the engine. Getting out and walking towards the lookout he realised that he had forgotten a jacket. Clad only in a short sleeved black T-shirt he felt the early morning cold caressing his bare arms. He sat down on a bench and looked out over the still slumbering suburbs that covered the foothills below. The streetlights winked out as the vulnerable, pale light gradually moved across the streets, parks and houses, bringing the colours of roofs, cars and the last fall leaves to brilliant life. The world was quiet save for the occasional drop of dew dripping to the ground from the branches of the towering blue pines that surrounded the lookout. 

Jack looked at the scene but saw only the dilemma he was in. Daniel was obviously in trouble. How was Jack going to protect this member of his team from his own confused emotions? Daniel had been vulnerable since Sha're's death, spending too much time alone, brooding, Jack thought. And now deciding that he was in love with his team leader, well hullo. 

It was then the voice of Sarah his ex wife came into his thoughts. "You couldn't save him Jack, everything isn't your responsibility." 

"Whoa! Where did that come from?" Jack said aloud. 

He had reached a delicate truce with his past. The death of Charlie his son was now given space in his life as a chronic, unnamed ache rather that the all too deep laceration that it had been seven years ago, before his first trip through the Stargate. To make decisions, to achieve his missions and protect his team Jack had to push his guilt and grief to the back of his mind. 

But now thoughts of Charlie screamed into his consciousness. The sickening thud of a pistol discharging. Sarah and he looking blankly at each other before the gutting realisation and the rush up the stairs. Jack would not allow the next image. He stood up and strode to the lookout railing pounding his fists painfully down on the metal. 

"No! I can't do this now! Daniel needs me." Jack said forcing himself to take in several deep breaths. 

When the opportunity had arisen for four weeks furlough Jack had been certain that he wanted to spend the time alone at the cabin. He needed to be where he wasn't responsible for anyone else's well being or happiness. Carter and Teal'c had plans but he had sensed that Daniel would have been open to an invitation. Jack had told himself that the pair of them alone at the cabin would never work and had ignored Daniel's hints. 

He had lasted only ten days before he packed up and came home. Not having to look out for anybody had left him with too much time to think. His waking and sleeping thoughts had been crowded with Charlie and Sarah and, much to Jack's confusion Daniel. 

He returned to the car and got in. He sat with his hand on the key without turning it. Why would Daniel think he was in love with me? Why didn't Daniel focus his infatuation on Sam or Janet Frazier, he certainly had spent enough time in the infirmary over the last couple of years. Daniel needed to get out and have a life outside the enclosed world of SG1, Jack concluded without any self awareness. 

Jack parked his car on the opposite side of the parking lot to the terminal. He wanted to give himself more time to think before he had to confront Daniel. Unfortunately he found himself approaching the entrance still without any further inspiration. 

"Oh jeez" Jack murmured under his breath as he saw Daniel standing just inside the automatic glass doors. Daniel was staring anxiously out, his tan failing to conceal the tiredness etched on his face. How long was the flight from Egypt anyhow Jack wondered? 

He entered and was immediately enveloped in Daniel's crushing embrace. Jack could feel Daniel's breath on his ear. 

"Jack its so good to see you, I was getting worried that you weren't coming," Daniel said, feigning a small dry laugh as he squeezed Jack again. As his cheek was pressed against Daniel's hair Jack thought. " His hair smells good, like apples and air-conditioning," and then pushed the thought from his mind. 

"Daniel, yea good to see you to," Jack said looking anxiously over Daniel's shoulder to make sure no one was observing the demonstrative greeting. 

Jack freed himself of Daniel's embrace and stooped to pick up the battered, old backpack at Daniel's feet. Daniel bent at the same time his hand closing over Jack's around the handle, their faces inches apart. Jack coloured and wriggling his hand free stood back surrendering the pack. 

"The cars over there," Jack said in as casual a tone as he could muster as they walked out the exit into the now fully committed daylight. "How was Egypt?" he asked for want of anything else non-committal to say. 

"Egypt was wonderful," Daniel said quickly. "Jack we need to talk." He put down his bag and grabbed Jack by his arm. 

Jack stopped stiffly but did not turn around. "Maybe we don't Daniel, maybe we can forget about...about what was said on the phone this morning. Pretend it never happened. Just go on as before. What d'ya think?" 

"I can't do that Jack," Daniel said, turning Jack around to face him. 

"There are small, furry creatures deep in the forests of PR3657 that knew you were going to say that," Jack said grimacing. "If we have to talk about this let's at least get out of the cold." 

Neither of them said anything till Jack pulled into the parking area of the lookout he had stopped at earlier. He cut the engine and sat staring straight ahead. 

"Daniel..." Jack started. 

"Jack let me go first." Daniel interrupted staring straight ahead and chopping the air with his right hand. 

"Please be my guest, I have no idea what the hell I was going to say anyway." 

"Jack I told you this morning that I was in love with you, I gather this came as something of a surprise?" Jack raised one of his eyebrows and nodded agreement. Daniel continued. "I didn't want to freak you out but I knew that the only way to let you know was to tell you straight up." "Daniel..." 

"Let me finish Jack," Daniel cut him off. "I know you can never feel about me the way I feel about you, I know you've never... been physical with another man..." 

"Once," Jack murmured casually batting at the small pennant of his favourite hockey team, hanging from the rear-view mirror 

"And aside from all that the fact that you're the team...," Daniel paused, his brow furrowing. Turning in his seat to face Jack he said, "What did you just say?" 

"Once." 

"Once what, Jack? 

"I've...you know... once with another guy." Jack blushed under his tan and looked out the side window of the car. 

Daniel sat silently shaking his head slowly from side to side. "Jack, who... when, where?" 

"Daniel, I think that comes under the heading of classified information, haven't you ever heard of don't ask don't tell?" They sat in silence until Jack turned to face Daniel. "So have you ever ...?"Jack's voice tapered off. 

"A couple of times, but only with the one guy." 

Jack nodded and opened his mouth to speak. 

Daniel jumped in. "It's no one you know, I was in college." 

"Oh right," Jack mumbled feeling close to the way that he felt shooting through a wormhole. "Daniel I better take you home now, you need some sleep. This whole thing will look different once you've had some sack time," Jack said not even convincing himself. "Are you going to be all right?" 

" Jack I had to tell you," Daniel said placing his hands on the dashboard as if it were the Rosetta stone that would translate his feelings. "I had to admit to myself that I was capable of loving someone again, I had to take the chance that someone could love me. I had to dive back into the flood, even though I knew you wouldn't be able to respond." 

He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, turning to look into Jack's eyes. "I know this might change things between us but I had to take the risk. I was told that we move through love in our lives all the time like a fish through water." 

"Told by who?" Jack asked starting the car. 

"That's not important now," Daniel replied removing a post card from his shirt pocket. "Here I want you to have this." Jack accepted the card from Daniel's hand and without looking at it placed it on the seat next to him. 

Jack opened his front door noting that he had been in such a state when he had left that morning that he had neglected to lock it. He put on a pot of coffee, threw his keys and Daniel's postcard on the coffee table and slumped down on the couch. 

The past few hours had the quality of a dream he thought. Perhaps he was still asleep and soon he would wake to a real world where no one was in love with him and his duty was clear. Jack closed his eyes knowing this gambit wouldn't work. He had tried it after Charlie had been killed and after Sarah divorced him and he always ended up crashing up against the sharp reality of his life. 

Charlie had died and it was his fault. He had made Sarah miserable and she had left him because he was too fucked up to be in a relationship. Time and time again members of his team, people he was responsible for suffered or were put in danger because of his decisions. He was responsible for all of it and now Daniel. 

At some point lying on the couch Jack drifted off to sleep. 

He was having the dream again. Preparing to protect someone he loved from an approaching monster. He could feel the loved one's presence behind him but was unable to turn around, his terrified attention focussed ahead towards the sound of the oncoming terror. He could see nothing till a shape began to materialise in the darkness. It was human, a man, it wasn't a monster it was himself, Jack O'Neill. 

A familiar voice came from behind him. 

"Dad you can't protect others from your love any more than you can protect them from death when their time has arrived." 

"Charlie?" Jack asked still unable to turn around. 

Jack woke with a jolt. Something terribly important had just happened but he couldn't remember what. He looked around his living room hoping that something there would help him recapture his dream. 

He looked down at the coffee table in front of him. He picked up the postcard that was lying under his keys. The image on the card was of an Egyptian wall painting. No surprise there thought Jack. Looking closer he saw that it represented two men who seemed to be embracing each other, their faces touching. Turning the card over he read the message, a poem written on the back in Daniel's distinctive script. 

Jack knocked on the apartment door and waited, experiencing the unfamiliar physical manifestation of fear in his shaking legs. 

After another knock and several minutes the door was opened by a sleep tousled Daniel wearing a pair of boxer shorts. Daniel pushed his glasses up on the ridge of his nose and stared at Jack, his full lips forming an "O". 

"This is it," thought Jack "I have to get this out before Daniel starts talking or it might never happen." 

Daniel's mouth moved to form Jack's name. Spontaneously Jack moved forward and placed his fingers to Daniel's mouth. Momentarily distracted by the feel of Daniel's slightly moist, soft lips against his hand, Jack found himself hesitating feeling like he was falling forward into Daniel's eyes. 

Shaking himself he said, "Daniel, I've got to say this and I need you to just listen, okay?" Despite Daniel's nod Jack kept his fingers on the other man's mouth. 

"We've been some strange places, seen some pretty weird things and strange doesn't begin to describe some of the characters we've met." Daniel nodded. "We've all been changed by this, you, Sam, Teal'c... me." Jack paused, removing his hand from Daniel's mouth. "What I'm trying to say Daniel is.... Speaking as someone whose best friend is from another planet and has a snake living in his belly, well the idea of two guys getting it on together doesn't seem that radical all of a sudden."

"Jack you mean...?" Daniel's voice trailed of. 

"Daniel this ain't going to be easy, I'm pretty fucked up in case you haven't noticed. Then there's SGC, Sam and Teal'c, General Hammond wait till he finds out, then the..." It was Daniel's turn to cover Jack's mouth. Leaning forward he encircled Jack's shoulders with his arms pulling him close against his own body, their lips meeting. Daniel's tongue sliding into Jack's mouth, tongues folding together like courting fish in the green, dark flood. 

My perfect Brother.   
We journey along the river together,   
its sinuous body embracing the Black Land (Kmt)   
not unlike my body embraces yours.   
The inundation bringing joy to both of us. 

It seems that it has been this since the first day.   
I fear no snare or danger while you are my companion.   
I fear only our separation should I travel to the western bank before you,   
I will keep keen watch for you and the Western land will seem as nothing after my kisses.


End file.
